Stanford to be vice chair of capital budget committee

Democratic 1st District State Rep. Derek Stanford will become vice chairman of the capital budget committee in the House of Representatives when the new legislative session convenes Jan. 14.

Stanford said last week that the Capital Budget Committee looks at money-saving strategies in the construction and repair of public buildings, as well as land-acquisitions and transfers. The committee also keeps a close eye on the state's public, capital-budget dollars that are given or lent to local governments or nonprofit organizations for infrastructure, housing, and cultural and heritage facilities.

He wasn't a member of the Capital Budget Committee in his first term of office. Still, Stanford did win committee-support last year for money to assist with a substantial construction project in the 1st Legislative District. Stanford worked to secure $800,000 to help pay the bill for building a new Scriber Creek Pedestrian Bridge in Brier. The Scriber Creek Pedestrian Bridge was damaged in the December 2007 flood. "Those devastating flood waters a few years back eroded the creek bank," he said. "In fact, the bank actually took such a severe battering that two of the four pilings supporting the bridge were exposed."

"I'm looking forward to helping tackle fresh challenges facing our Capital Budget Committee, as well as other matters waiting us in Olympia," Stanford said. "This committee manages significant investment-decisions for Washington's several-billion-dollar construction budget. As you can imagine, these decisions go a long way toward shaping job-creation and economic-development policies in our King and Snohomish county communities, and in other cities and towns all across our state."

Stanford will be leaving his position as vice chairman of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, but he retains his vote on that panel. Stanford also will keep his seat on the House Business and Financial Services Committee.

Stanford recently won re-election in the 1st District, which includes most of Mountlake Terrace, all of Brier and Bothell, north Kirkland, unincorporated areas of King County between Bothell and Kirkland and unincorporated areas of Snohomish County north and east of Bothell.

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